Wave Riding Vehicle

ABSTRACT

A wave riding vehicle having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear tail, a nose, and said tail and nose are connected by opposite left and right side rails, and the side rails extend substantially linearly from the tail and away from a central axis and then linearly extend to the nose and toward the central axis and embodiments include a central arcuate hump that transverses the top surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The applicants claim the benefit of the filing date of U.S. No. 63/342,347 filed May 16, 2022.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wave riding vehicles with a new watercraft shape and features. The vehicle is primarily intended for use as a bodyboard used for surfing oceanic waves. The invention is applicable to conventional surfboards, kneeboards, skim boards, kiteboards, wake surfing boards and wakeboards. The invention may also be adapted for snow riding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Watercraft boards have a variety of shapes that are in part directed by the use. For example, the shape and size surfboards may be generally segmented into longboards, guns, the evolution, funboards, shortboards, and fish. Each type has a shape that is designed for the type of surf, the type of surfer and the objective of the surfer.

The shape of the wave also affects the selection of the board to best compliment the environmental conditions. Experienced surfers have described waves as closeouts, reformed, mushy crumbles, plunging waves, breakers, and tubing waves, Closeouts are caused by strong offshore winds, and the entire wave essentially breaks at the same time. There is little or no taper or curl to the wave surface and they are very difficult to ride. Mushy or crumble waves are slow rolling and not steep and have a gentle break, The best riding breaking waves are referred to as spilling breakers, plunging breakers and surging breakers. Plunging waves, also known as tubing waves, are caused when a wave transfers from deeper water to shallow water and the wave breaks from the top to the bottom. Reforms waves are found in deeper water.

In view of the different types of waves and surf conditions, as well as different surfing objectives from the surf rider, a number of surfboard designs have been developed. A “fish” design surfboard is considered a short board and has a wide nose and swallow tail. These boards have more volume and less rocker than a typical shortboards and can provide improved performance in weak or “mushy” waves. Longboards are designed for larger surfer and are for large waves or long rolling waves. Shortboards and most body boards are highly maneuverable and can be rapidly accelerated by the surfer to quickly catch a wave. While short surfboards are more difficult to ride and are not always for suitable for larger surf riders, most riders can easily ride a body board.

In contrast with surfboards, conventionally, bodyboards are short and are designed to be engaged by the surf rider's body from the waist to the chest area and are held by the rider on opposite sides of the nose. Some riders move to a knelling position on the board as the ride begins. Referring now to FIG. 1 , a conventional prior art board 100 has a length from rear to nose of approximately 40 to 45 inches and width of approximately 20 to 25 inches. The sides of the conventional board extend from the rear to the nose and are generally parallel or a gentle convex curve from the rear end to the beginning of the nose section. The upper sides may be gripped by the surf rider, may be pulled to assist with the control the direction of the board. Bodyboards typically have a have a nose that has a bullet shape, or a rounded shape that terminate in a flat tip as shown in FIG. 1 . The tail 104 of a body board 101 is referred to as a bat tail. Referring now to FIG. 2 , the body board 200 depicted has a crescent tail 202. Crescent tails generally form a wide U shape, which conforms to the waist of the user and puts more of users body in contact with the water's surface. This design offers more control and is suited to both drop-knee riders and prone riders. A crescent tail allows user to easily position their hips on the back of the board to catch waves and are comfortable to paddle. Crescent shapes are also favored because they allow the users to engage the rail edge while riding the face of a wave. In this regard, a surf rider may place his or her his hip in the “tail peg” 140 or back corner of the board which displaces water from the wave face thereby allowing the surfer to track or trim across the face. Generally, the crescent tail is popular feature as user-friendly in terms of maneuverability and comfort.

A second tail design for body boards, as depicted in FIG. 1 is referred to as a bat tail, and as the name suggests, resembles the shape of a bat. This shape is designed for heavier riders or for riding smaller waves. It produces more buoyancy and lift towards the back of the board, allowing more speed and maneuverability. The center extension in the rear provides for this increased buoyancy. Some riders report that the bat tail design assist exiting moves and generally offers a smoother ride through turns. However, when riding large concave and steep wave face shapes, the design may lose some of the high-line holding power.

FIGS. 3A-I, are sectional views of surf riding boards. The side edges of both body boards and surfboards are referred to as the rails, which run from the rear tail to the front nose of the board and connect the top surface to the bottom surface As used herein, a chine refers to the change in angle in the cross section of the surfboard's surface. Fuller rails carry more foam which increases the resistance to sinking and stalling when leaned on edge. Thinner, tapered rails carry less foam, making them easier to sink and lean on edge. The harder the edge, the cleaner the water breaks away and releases from the board, which contributes to speed and looseness. Hard rails penetrate the water poorly at high speeds and resist being leaned on edge. Softer rails, those characterized by a smooth gradual transition from a first planar surface to a second planar surface or rounded edges, provide a smoother, more forgiving response than hard rails. the water tends to bend around their subtle curve rather than breaking away. When riding bigger waves, a softer rail is recommended. Referring now to FIG. 3A, the edge 305 of transition on a rail is referred to as the chine. For body boards, there are two common rail designs, referred to as the 60/40 as depicted in FIG. 3B and the 50/50 as depicted in FIG. 3A. These ratios relate to how much of the chine is at the top and how much of the remaining rail is at the bottom.

A 60/40 rail means that 40% of the chine connects to the deck whereas 60% of the rail is in direct contact with the water. This style of rail is best for maintaining control on bigger, more powerful waves.

50/50 rails are equally divided from the top surface to the bottom surface and offer more speed. The 50/50 design allows an easier disconnect from the wave face. Some signature boards designed by professional riders also have rails with slightly different ratios, such as 70/30 or 55/45 or any ratio that they prefer to achieve the desired balance of speed, stability turning, and buoyancy. With respect to both surfboards, a narrow tail allows a reader to release from moves more easily, as it is less buoyant, whereas a wider tail offers more stability.

FIG. 3F depicts a hard chine 315 in an 80/20 ratio, as further discussed below. FIG. 3G depicts a soft chine design. FIG. 3H depicts a further rail design referred to aa tucked under edge. This design allows for clean water release characterized by a hard rail with the penetration and holding power of a softer rail. Hard rail edges are utilized in the tail area of a board for improved release. Since body boards typically are not provided with fins, grooves or channels are provided on the bottom surface to help control the tracking of the board. FIG. 3I depicts a double chine 321 rail that utilizes an additional ridge or edge that improves surf riders ability to control the bite and release points of a rail. Many boards use a combination of rail configurations.

The other parts of prior art body boards include the core, which typically is comprised of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or extruded polystyrene (EPS). The shape of the core dictate of overall shape of the board. Boards may have a harder smooth and slick surface on the bottom that improves speed. As mentioned above since body boards do not have fins, the tail area may be altered to help stabilize the board. Some board have a tail area that features two or three channels which increase the board's adherence to the face of the wave, turn increase stability. Hoverer body boards with a large tail width are more difficult to control and make maneuvers harder to pull.

A wide variety of materials may be used to create the core of the board including but not limited to Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS), polyurethane foam and Styrofoam. The bottom surface may be glassed with polyester resin or provided with a layer of HDPE. The top surface is typically covered with a layer or film of a polyurethane or rubber. While the described embodiment is direct to body boards, the invention may be used for kneeboards, skim boards, kiteboards, wakeboards, and sleds or toboggans.

Bodyboards typically have a flexible cushioned top surface that has rougher surface to improve comfort and to provide a surface that allows for improved frictional engagement of the rider.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a novel shaped body board that allows for quick turning maneuvers. A first embodiment is generally directed to a modified diamond-shaped or kite-shaped body wherein the side rails extend from the rear tail outward from a central axis to a side lateral section and then extend back toward the central axis to the nose section. The lateral section is comprised of parallel rails. A second embodiment is truncated kite-shaped or truncated diamond shape body that is characterized by rails extend from the rear tail outward from a central axis and ten and then back toward the central axis to the nose section. In a further embodiment, a raised hump or ridge is provided across the top surface of the board, positioned about two thirds the distance from the tail to the nose that is designed to provide a structure to engage the upper chest area of a rider and impede the rider from sliding forward on the board and, at the same time, providing additional buoyancy.

As disclosed, the shape of the boards are a modified diamond shaped or modified kite shaped. The width of the tail section from rail to rail is smaller than the prior art boards and they may be flat, crescent, or batwing. The front of the board may be flat or bullet-nosed. Proving a relatively narrow tail may compromise flotation at the rear end and make tricks that require knee work at the rear end more difficult to execute. However, the narrow tail as disclosed will improve maneuverability and allow turns to be executed more readily without materially compromising the buoyancy of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a first prior art body board having a flat nose and crescent shaped tail.

FIG. 2 is a second prior art having a flat nose and a bat tail rear end.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of a first rail design.

FIG. 3B is a sectional view of a second rail design.

FIG. 3C is a sectional view of a third rail design.

FIG. 3D is a sectional view of a fourth rail design.

FIG. 3E is a sectional view of a fifth rail design.

FIG. 3F is a sectional view of a sixth rail design.

FIG. 3G is a sectional view of a seventh rail design.

FIG. 3H is a sectional view of an eighth rail design.

FIG. 3I is a sectional view of a ninth rail design.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a body board according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 8 is a front view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a body board according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 12 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 13 is a front view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of a body board according to the invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 14 .

FIG. 16 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 14 .

FIG. 17 is a rear view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 14 .

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a body board according to the invention that includes handles for gripping that extend from each forward rails.

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a further embodiment that provides passages through the board to facilitate manual engagement at the rear portion of forward rails.

FIG. 20 depicts a view in elevation of a further embodiment that includes handles and a transverse hump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring to FIG. 4 , a first embodiment of a body board 101 is depicted that includes a flat tail 103 that is approximately 10 inches, from which extend side 105 and 107 that meet lateral side sections 109 and 110 respectfully. Extending from lateral sides 109 and 110 are forward rails 115 and 115 which extend to the nose 120. Lateral side section 109 and 110 are parallel with a central axis that extends from tail 103 to the nose 120. Top surface 150 of board 101 is smooth and flat and comprised of polyurethane or polychloroprene, also known as Neoprene® but other soft rubber or synthetic materials may be used. As can be determined from FIGS. 4 to 6 , this embodiment has rails that extend from the top surface inwardly to the bottom surface of the board. This embodiment facilitates the manual engagement of the forward rails 115 and 116 as it provides a fairly sharp angle to grip. In alternative designs other rail arrangements are used.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , the bottom of the board includes a base region surface 605 that is flat and smooth from which extends a surface 609 that is gradually tapered toward nose 120. Base section 605 includes stabilizing groove 610 and 612.

Now referring to FIG. 9 , a second embodiment 900 has a similar shape as the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4-8 but further includes a raised hump 940 across the top surface 930 that extends from lateral side 910 and 911. The hump extends from the top surface to a maximum height of about 4 inches and divides to rear section defined by the rear rails and the tail from the front section defined the front rails and the nose. This embodiment of a body board 900 includes tail 905 that is approximately 10 inches across, from which extends side 908 and 907 that meet lateral side sections 910 and 911 respectfully. Extending from lateral sides 910 and 911 are forward rails 915 and 917 which extend to the nose 920. Lateral side section 910 and 911 are parallel with a central axis that extends from tail 905 to the nose 920. Top surface 950 of board 900 has smooth flat rear region 952 and smooth flat front section 954. The rails of this embodiment are similar to that of FIG. 4 which facilitates the manual engagement of the forward rails 115 and 116 as it provides a fairly sharp angle to grip. In alternative designs other rail arrangements are used.

Referring now to FIG. 12 , the hump 940 includes peak 941, a rear slope 945 that extends from peak 941 to rear top surface area 960 and front slope 944 that extends f peak 941 to the front nose area front area 970. The peak of the hump in this embodiment extends perpendicular to a central axis that extends from rear tail 905 to nose 920 and is at a location between 20 to 30 inches from tail 905. The board of FIGS. 9-13 has a length of 40 inches and a width between rail 910 and 911 of 14 inches. The bottom of board 900 includes a rear base region 960 that is flat and smooth and connects with forward lower surface 970 gradually tapers toward nose 920. Referring now to FIG. 13 , as seen from the front, hump 940 has an arcuate profile that extends from the top of rail 911 to top of rail 910.

Now referring to FIGS. 14-17 , a further embodiment of a body board 1400 is depicted that is a generally kite shaped with a truncated rear or tail. Board 1400 has a crescent shaped rear side surface 1405 or tail, rear rails 1408 and 1409, and forward rails 1415 and 1417 which terminate at nose 1420. As seen in FIG. 15 , rear surface 1505 has stabilizer grooves or channels 1580, 1581 and 1582 that terminate at tail 1405. This embodiment has a tail that is 12 inches from point 1560 to point 1561, rear rails 1408 and 1409 are 27 inches long, and forward rails 1415 and 1417 are 22 inches and a length from tail 1405 to nose 1420 of 36 inches. As best seem in FIG. 17 , this embodiment has a 50/50 rail arrangement where a lower rail surface 1436 extends from bottom surface 1505 to ridge or chine 1407 of rail 1408 and surface 1435 extends to top surface 1450. On the opposite side the lower surface 1656 of the rail 1409 a first part 1656 of the rail 1409 extends from lower surface 1505 to the ridge or chine 1650 and a second surface 1655 extends from chine 1650 to top surface 1450. While the rail surfaces in FIGS. 14-17 are planar and the chines 1407 and 1650 are relatively sharp edges, in other embodiments the rail comprise a rounded ridge that transitions from a lower and upper rail surface, such as those depicted in FIGS. 3A-3I.

FIG. 18 depicts a further embodiment of the invention that includes handles 1840 and 1841 that extend from front lateral rails 1810 and 1811. This embodiment, as well as the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 19 and 20 , has the same dimension as board 1400 illustrated in FIGS. 14-17 . Handles 1840 and 1841 provide a structure to enhance a rider's ability to grip the board and assist with steering the board. FIG. 19 depicts a further embodiment that is characterized by passages 1950 and 1951 through the board that allow a rider to securely grasp front rails 1910 and 1911. FIG. 20 depicts yet a further alternative that includes a transverse hump 2040 that that crescent shaped on a kite shaped board 2000 that includes handles 2060 and 2061. In yet further embodiments, a thick rope or cord is provided at the rear portion of the forward rails to enhance the rider's ability to hold the board.

The above-described embodiments are intended to be illustrative in all respects, rather than restrictive, of the embodiments. Thus, the embodiments are capable of many variations in detailed implementation that can be derived from the description contained herein by a person skilled in the art. No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the embodiments unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific examples presented and that modifications and other examples are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing description and the associated drawings describe examples of the present disclosure in the context of certain illustrative combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A riding vehicle comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear tail, a nose, and said tail and nose are connected by opposite left and right side rails, wherein said rear tail has a first and second end and a length, wherein said left side rail has a first rear section that extends substantially linearly from said first end of said tail and away from a central axis running from said nose to the middle of said tail, and a second forward section of said left side rail that linearly extends to the nose and toward said central axis, and wherein said right side has a first rear section that extends substantially linearly from said second end of said tail and away from a central axis running from said nose to the middle of said tail, and a second forward section of said right side rail that linearly extends to said nose and toward said central axis, and wherein the length of the said first rear rail sections is longer than the length of said second forward rail sections.
 2. The riding vehicle of claim 1 wherein said left and right side rails have third sections between said first rear sections and said second forward section and said third sections are parallel with each other and said central axis.
 3. The riding vehicle of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is comprised of a closed cell foam that floats.
 4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said bottom of said vehicle is substantially flat and said top surface is flat with an elevated hump portion that laterally traverses the central axis at a location in front of said rear rail sections.
 5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein said hump has an arcuate shape.
 6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the maximum height said hump extends approximately two inches from said top surface.
 7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said front rail section further comprises handles that extend from said second rail sections and said handles have portions that are parallel with said second forward rail sections.
 8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said front section is provided with openings that are and parallel with the front rail sections and said openings have a length of at least 5 inches and a width of approximately 2 inches and are sized to allow a used to grasp the vehicle by extending fingers through said openings and engaged the side of the vehicle rail with the palm of the hand.
 9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail has a length of between 8 and 12 inches, and the length of said vehicle, from the middle of said tail to said nose. is between 30 and 45 inches.
 10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the shape of said vehicle resembles a kite with a truncated bottom and a rounded front nose.
 11. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said nose is substantially straight and connects said front rail sections.
 12. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rails are configured in a 40/60 ratio.
 13. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail is a bat tail shape.
 14. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail extends straight from the opposite ends of the rear rail sections.
 15. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail extends in an arc to join the opposite ends of the rear rail sections. 